The last couple of weeks I'd noticed a severe drop-off in the quality of the lather I was getting from my Crabtree & Eveyln Sandalwood shave soap. So much, in fact, that I was wondering if something was wrong with the water-softening system at my house.
Turns out it was my natural cheapness that was at fault. The puck of soap in the bowl had decreased to the point that it was little more than a ring around the bottom of the bowl - there was a bare spot of wood about the size of a Kennedy dollar visible.
I pried out the ring, cleaned the bowl, and replaced it with a new puck. Result: A rich, thick creamy lather, with very little effort.
I suspect that by the time you get to the bottom of a bowl, the remaining "soap" is really little more than dried out foam. All the natural foamy goodness has been worked out of it.
So, lesson learned. Don't be a cheapskate! When you see wood at the bottom of the bowl - its time for a new puck. Don't hold out to the bitter end.
Incidentally: The term "bitter end" has nothing to do with coffee. It actually comes from the nautical world. A "bitt" is a metal block or cleat on an anchor or on a dock, and the part of the rope that gets tied to it is the "bitter end."
Turns out it was my natural cheapness that was at fault. The puck of soap in the bowl had decreased to the point that it was little more than a ring around the bottom of the bowl - there was a bare spot of wood about the size of a Kennedy dollar visible.
I pried out the ring, cleaned the bowl, and replaced it with a new puck. Result: A rich, thick creamy lather, with very little effort.
I suspect that by the time you get to the bottom of a bowl, the remaining "soap" is really little more than dried out foam. All the natural foamy goodness has been worked out of it.
So, lesson learned. Don't be a cheapskate! When you see wood at the bottom of the bowl - its time for a new puck. Don't hold out to the bitter end.
Incidentally: The term "bitter end" has nothing to do with coffee. It actually comes from the nautical world. A "bitt" is a metal block or cleat on an anchor or on a dock, and the part of the rope that gets tied to it is the "bitter end."
